Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
单词提示
1.Monsieur 先生
2.Inspector 探长
原文
Chapter 2: Fantine
Now we meet Fantine.
She is young and beautiful and in love with a man in Paris, but she has no family and no money.
For Fantine, this is the love of her life.
For the man in Paris, it is just a summer of love.
Men are not kind to women, they have their fun and then they walk away.
The man in Paris goes home to his rich family and leaves poor Fantine, and with a child, a little girl called Cosette.
Fantine must find work, but how?
Fantine has a child but no husband, and a woman without a husband is nothing, worse than nothing.
People are not kind to a woman with a child but no husband.
They turn their faces away, they close their doors, they say there's no work here for a woman like you.
Fantine loves her daughter dearly, but what can she do?
So in 1818, in a village near Paris, she leaves her little daughter with Monsieur and Madame Thenardier.
They ask for 7 francs a month.
Fantine pays the money, holds her daughter in her arms for the last time, and leaves.
She takes the road for her home town of Montroy,and tears are running down her face.
There is misery in her heart. Poor Fantine, poor Cosette.
In Montroy, Fantinefinds work in a factory.
This is the factory of Monsieur Madeleine, an important man in the town and very rich.
Everybody likes him, because he is a good man.
He is kind to his workers, he helps people,and his factory gives many jobs to the townspeople.
But who is he, this Monsieur Madeleine?Where did he come from?
He arrived in Montroy at the end of 1815,but nobody knows his family or anything about him.
Fantine sent money every month to the Thenardiers.
They were not good people, and they used the money for their own daughters.
Poor little Cosette was a hungry, dirty,unloved child.
She worked all day, she cleaned the house,she carried water, she washed the clothes.
But Fantine knew nothing of this, and she worked long hours to make money for Cosette.
The next year, the Thenardiers asked for 12 francs a month.
The year after that, they wanted 15 francs.
Then Fantine lost her job at the factory because the women did not like her.
“She has achild in a village somewhere near Paris.”
“Yes, and where's her husband.”
“She doesn't have one.”
“We don't want that kind of woman here. She must go.”
Fantine found work making shirts.
It was hard work for little money.
She was often ill with a small dry cough.
The Thenardiers wrote again, “Your daughter needs a warm dress for winter, send 10 francs at once.”
Fantine did not have 10 francs.
She thought long and hard, and went to the barber in the town.
She took off her hat, and her golden hair fell down her back.
“That's beautiful hair,” said the barber.
“What can you give me for it?”
“10 francs.”
“Then cut it off.”
She sent the money to the Thenardiers.
“My daughter's not cold now,” she thought, “She'swearing my hair.”
Soon, another letter came from the Thenardiers,“Send 100 francs, or Cosette must leave our house.”
100 francs? How can a poor woman get that kind of money? There was only one way.
One cold winter evening, outside a restaurant in the center of Montroy, a woman walked up and down.
There was snow on the ground, but the woman wore an evening dress with flowers in her hair.
Some young men came out of the restaurant,saw her, and began to call her bad names.
They laughed and shouted, but the woman did not look at them.
Then one young then took some snow and put it down the back of the woman's dress.
The woman was Fantine.
She gave a cry, turned, and hit the young man's face with her hands.
People came to watch, laughing.
A tall policeman arrived, took the woman by the arm and pulled her away.
“Come with me,” he said.
This policeman was Inspector Javert.
He was new to Montroy, and he was a hard man.
To him, the law was the only important thing in life.
He hated criminals.
The law in France at that time was not kind to women like Fantine.
Javert took Fantine to the office of police.
“You hit a man in the street and that's a crime,” He told her, “You're getting six months.”
“Six months in prison?” Fantine cried, “no,I'm not a bad woman, monsieur, please, I must work. I need the money for my little daughter. Please, please don't send me to prison.”
She fell to the floor crying.
“Take her away,” Javert said to a policeman.
“One moment, please,” said a new voice.
Everybody turned to look at the door, and there stood the good, the great Monsieur Madeleine.
He was an important man in Montroy.
“Inspector,” he said, “I was outside the restaurant, too. And I can tell you the true story.”
“The young man began the fight, and this poor woman,” he looked at Fantine on the floor, “must go free. She did nothing wrong.”
“The woman is a criminal,” said Javert angrily.
“She must go free,” said Monsieur Madeleine,“Ask the other people at the restaurant. We all saw the same thing.”
Fontain stood up slowly, she began to cough,a hard dry noise.
Monsieur Madeleine took her arm gently.
“My dear child, you are not well,” he said.
Javert's cold eyes stared at Monsieur Madeleine.
“Do I know you from somewhere?” he said, “Were you ever at Toulon?”
Monsieur Madeleine looked at him.
His face did not change, but his eyes were suddenly very watchful.
“No, I don't know Toulon.” he said.
Monsieur Madeleine took Fantine to the little hospital in Montroy.
She lay in bed and coughed and coughed.
Monsieur Madeleine listened to her sad story, and the next day he sent money to the Thenardiers.
“Now you must get better,” he told Fantine, “Cosette needs you.”
But Fantine did not get better.
She was now very ill, and five days later the doctor spoke to Monsieur Madeleine.
“Does she have a child, this poor woman?”
He said, “Yes, a small daughter.”
“You must bring the child here soon.”
Monsieur Madeleine went to sit by Fountain's bed.
“Monsieur madeleine, you are so kind to me. I want to see my daughter one last time.Please, can you? Bring Cosette to me, please, monsieur.”
Monsieur Madeleine took her hand.
“Of course, I can,” he said gently.
And then, the door of the room suddenly opened behind him, and Fantine cried out “No, monsieur.”
Madeleine looked round quickly.
InspectorJavert came into the room with four policemen.
“Jean Valjean, prisoner at Toulon, I am arresting you,” Javert said, “After you left the prison, you stole money from a child in Toulon. You are still a thief, and now you must go to prison for life.”
Fantine sat up in bed.
“No,” she cried, “Cosette!”
Monsieur Madeleine stood up slowly.
“Inspector, give me three days.” He said.
He was a big man, much bigger than Javert.
“Three days to bring this poor woman's child to her before she dies, then you can take me.”
Javert laughed loudly, “Three days, you're going to run away?”
Behind the two men, Fantine cried out, “Monsieur Madeleine, please take care of Cosette. Please.”
Javert turn to her, “Be quiet, woman,there's no Monsieur Madeleine here. This man is a criminal called Jean Valjean,and he's going to prison.”
Fantine stared at Javert and tried to speak,but she could not.
She fell back in the bed and lay still. She was dead.
The people of Montroy talked about that day for a long time, the death of the woman Fantine,the arrest of Monsieur Madeleine.
Javert put Monsieur Madeleine in a locked room in the police office, but in the night, he broke down the door and escaped.
Where did he go? Did he go to his house in the town?
His old servant said “no”, she saw nobody and heard nothing.
She said she loved Monsieur Madeleine very much.
So where did Monsieur Madeleine go?
Nobody in Montroy saw him again.
One thing was certain.
In Monsieur Madeleine's house, there were two beautiful old silver candlesticks.
The next day they were gone.
翻译
第二章：芳汀
现在，我们来认识芳汀。
她年轻貌美，在巴黎与一个男人坠入爱河，但她没有家人，也没有钱。
对芳汀来说，这是她一生的挚爱；但对那个巴黎男人而言，这不过是一场夏日恋情罢了。
男人们对待女人并不仁慈，他们寻欢作乐之后，便一走了之。
那个巴黎男人回到了他富有的家族，留下了可怜的芳汀，以及他们的孩子——一个名叫珂赛特的小女孩。
芳汀必须找到工作，可她能怎么办呢？
芳汀有个孩子却没有丈夫，而在那个时代，没有丈夫的女人什么都不是，甚至比什么都不是还要不堪。
人们对带着孩子却没有丈夫的女人毫不留情。
他们对她冷眼相待，对她紧闭大门，还会说：“像你这样的女人，我们这儿没有工作。”
芳汀深爱着她的女儿，可她又能做些什么呢？
于是，在1818年，在巴黎附近的一个村庄里，她把小女儿托付给了德纳第夫妇。
他们要求每个月付7法郎。
芳汀付了钱，最后一次将女儿紧紧抱在怀里，然后转身离开。
她踏上了返回故乡蒙特勒伊的路，泪水顺着脸颊不断滑落。
她的心中充满了无尽的苦难。可怜的芳汀，可怜的珂赛特。
在蒙特勒伊，芳汀在一家工厂找到了工作。
这家工厂的老板是马德兰先生，他是镇上的大人物，非常富有。
大家都很喜欢他，因为他是个大好人。
他对工人们很仁慈，乐于助人，而且他的工厂为镇上的许多人提供了工作。
可是，这位马德兰先生究竟是谁？他又从何而来？
他是在1815年底来到蒙特勒伊的，但没有人知道他的身世，对他一无所知。
芳汀每个月都会按时寄钱给德纳第夫妇。
可他们并非善类，竟把芳汀寄来的钱全用在了自己亲生女儿的身上。
可怜的小珂赛特成了一个挨饿、肮脏、无人疼爱的孩子。
她整天干活，打扫屋子，提水，洗衣服。
但芳汀对此一无所知，她只能拼命工作，为珂赛特多挣些钱。
第二年，德纳第夫妇要求每月寄12法郎。
再往后一年，他们又要15法郎。
后来，芳汀失去了工厂的工作，因为厂里的女工们不喜欢她。
“她有个孩子，寄养在巴黎附近的某个村子里。”
“是啊，可她丈夫在哪儿呢？”
“她没有丈夫。”
“我们这儿不想要那种女人。她必须走人。”
芳汀只好靠做衬衫来谋生。
活儿很累，挣的钱却很少。
她经常生病，总是干咳不止。
德纳第夫妇又写信来：“你女儿冬天需要一件暖和的裙子，马上寄10法郎来。”
芳汀拿不出10法郎。
她思前想后，最终走进了镇上的理发店。
她摘下帽子，一头金发垂落在背上。
“多漂亮的头发啊，”理发师说。
“这头发你能给我多少钱？”
“10法郎。”
“那就剪了吧。”
她把换来的钱寄给了德纳第夫妇。
“我的女儿现在不会挨冻了，”她想，“她穿着我的头发呢。”
没过多久，德纳第夫妇又来信了：“寄100法郎来，不然珂赛特就得滚出我们家。”
100法郎？一个穷苦女人上哪儿去弄这么一大笔钱？只剩下最后一条路了。
在一个寒冷的冬夜，蒙特勒伊市中心的一家餐馆外，一个女人正来回踱步。
地上满是积雪，可她却穿着晚礼服，头上还戴着花。
几个年轻男人从餐馆里走出来，看见她，便开始用下流的话辱骂她。
他们又笑又叫，但那个女人连看都没看他们一眼。
接着，其中一个年轻男人抓起一把雪，顺着那个女人的衣领塞进了她的后背。
那个女人正是芳汀。
她惊叫一声，转过身，一巴掌狠狠打在那个年轻男人的脸上。
人们围过来看热闹，哈哈大笑。
这时，一个高大的警察走了过来，一把抓住女人的胳膊，将她拉开。
“跟我走。”他说。
这个警察是沙威警长。
他刚到蒙特勒伊不久，是个冷酷无情的人。
在他看来，法律是生命中唯一重要的东西。
他痛恨罪犯。
而当时法国的法律，对芳汀这样的女人是毫不留情的。
沙威把芳汀带到了警察局。
“你在大街上打了一个男人，这是犯罪，”他告诉她，“你要被判六个月的监禁。”
“六个月？”芳汀哭喊道，“不，我不是坏女人，先生，求求您，我必须工作。我需要钱养活我的小女儿。求求您，千万别把我送进监狱。”
她倒在地上痛哭起来。
“把她带走。”沙威对另一名警察说。
“请等一下。”一个陌生的声音响起。
所有人都转头看向门口，只见那位善良、伟大的马德兰先生正站在那里。
他是蒙特勒伊的显要人物。
“警长，”他说，“我当时也在餐馆外面。我可以告诉你事情的真相。”
“是那个年轻人先挑起事端的，而这个可怜的女人，”他看了一眼倒在地上的芳汀，“必须被释放。她没有任何过错。”
“这个女人是个罪犯！”沙威愤怒地说。
“她必须被释放，”马德兰先生说，“去问问餐馆里的其他人吧。我们大家看到的都是一样的。”
芳汀慢慢站起身，开始剧烈地咳嗽，发出沉闷干涩的声音。
马德兰先生温柔地扶住她的胳膊。
“我可怜的孩子，你身体不好。”他说。
沙威冰冷的双眼死死盯着马德兰先生。
“我是不是在哪儿见过你？”他说，“你以前去过土伦吗？”
马德兰先生看着他。
他的面庞毫无波澜，但眼神突然变得极度警觉。
“不，我不知道什么土伦。”他说。
马德兰先生把芳汀送到了蒙特勒伊的小医院。
她躺在床上，不停地咳嗽。
马德兰先生听完了她悲惨的身世，第二天便派人把钱寄给了德纳第夫妇。
“现在你必须好起来，”他告诉芳汀，“珂赛特需要你。”
但芳汀并没有好转。
她的病情已经非常严重了，五天后，医生对马德兰先生说：
“这个可怜的女人有孩子吗？”
“有，一个小女儿。”
“你必须尽快把孩子接来。”
马德兰先生走到芳汀的床边坐下。
“马德兰先生，您对我太好了。我想再看一眼我的女儿。求求您，您能办到吗？把珂赛特带到我身边来吧，先生。”
马德兰先生握住她的手。
“我当然能办到。”他温和地说。
就在这时，身后的房门突然被猛地推开，芳汀惊叫一声：“不，先生！”
马德兰先生迅速回过头。
沙威警长带着四名警察走进了房间。
“冉阿让，土伦的囚犯，我现在逮捕你，”沙威说，“你出狱后，在土伦偷了一个孩子的钱。你依然是个贼，现在你必须被判终身监禁。”
芳汀在床上猛地坐直身子。
“不！”她哭喊道，“珂赛特！”
马德兰先生缓缓站起身。
“警长，给我三天时间。”他说。
他是个大块头，比沙威高大得多。
“给我三天时间，让我把这个可怜女人的孩子带到她面前，等她见上最后一面，你再抓我。”
沙威放声大笑：“三天？你是打算趁机逃跑吗？”
在两个男人身后，芳汀哭喊道：“马德兰先生，求您照顾珂赛特。求求您了。”
沙威转过头对她吼道：“闭嘴，女人！这里没有什么马德兰先生。这个人是个叫冉阿让的罪犯，他马上就要进监狱了。”
芳汀死死盯着沙威，试图开口说话，却发不出一点声音。
她重重地倒回床上，再也没有动弹。她死了。
蒙特勒伊的人们谈论那一天谈了很久很久，谈论着芳汀的死，以及马德兰先生被捕的事。
沙威把马德兰先生关在警察局的一间密室里，但在夜里，他撞破房门逃跑了。
他去了哪里？他回镇上的家了吗？
他的老女仆说“没有”，她什么也没看见，什么也没听见。
她说她非常敬爱马德兰先生。
那么，马德兰先生到底去了哪里？
蒙特勒伊再也没有人见过他。
但有一件事是肯定的。
在马德兰先生的家里，原本放着两只漂亮的老银烛台。
第二天，它们就不见了。
